Condorman, o Homem-Pássaro

I saw this on VHS rental in the early 80's and remember it with massive fondness. Over here in the UK the film has been deleted from VHS for over a decade so my chance to see this film again was nil.

So along came DVD, I had no player and this was only available in the US. I bought a player that could play all regions and imported me a copy, and when it bounced through the letterbox to the floor I was like a kid at Christmas.

This is the story of an American comic book artist drawing his books from Paris. His best friend, and flat mate, is a CIA office clerk. When a job comes up for a civilian to carry out, Woody is recruited. After the success of the first mission, all be it by pure luck, Woody is requested by a KGB agent to help her defect.

Now this film is still one of my favourites at the age of 30. And that's not seeing through rose tinted glasses anymore. This film is funny and you really wanna see the good guys win. The gadgets blow James Bond away and I dare anybody who doesn't wanna own a old wagon that converts to a car, or a massive condorman suit that helps you fly.

Now for the bad bits. The film doesn't relate to today's audience with the cold war long since dead and the Russians our friends and allies now. Michael Crawford will always be Condorman to me, but his American accent is very poor. The films print looks lifeless with no colour and the music still lives in 80's ville. Also the plot is very loose, why they went across the alps and through small villages when they could of got on a plane and been in the US in a few hours is never explained. But please do not let this put you off. This is a gem of a movie that still makes me wanna be Condorman. So Speilberg you ever make a remake of this count me in...........

I love this movie. I grew up watching Condorman and I always think of it with fond memories. The special effects may not be the best; however, the movie is over two decades old, and I think the effects are quite adequate. Besides, the movie is not supposed to be realistic, but rather it is a comedy with action elements. It provides a window into what people worried about in the early eighties; Cold War espionage is a major part of the story. Overall, it is charming and is a feel-good movie. It has all the classic elements: good verses evil and boy meets girl. It is a quality family movie and I would recommend this film to all who are young at heart.

"Condorman" is not a great movie. However, it is a lot of fun to watch. "Condorman" follows cartoonist Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford), an eccentric who refuses to have his hero, Condorman, do anything in a comic book that he himself hasn't done in real life. The acting is predictably predictable, but still fun. Aside from Crawford, the other characters include a ravishing Barbera Carrera as the gorgeous Russian spy Wilkins falls for, and Oliver Reed as her "old fling". If for no other reason than to see a pre-"Phantom" Crawford in an outrageous role, this movie is worth at least a look.

Condorman,wow....the film that made a childhood. It was THE Easter/Summer/Christmas/Half Term movie of a generation. Back in the 80's this film was ALWAYS on TV in the UK. Now,you hardly see it, its a disgrace (to my knowledge the last time it was on was at 5am on a Saturday morning on BBC1).Kids today have no idea what their missing,this was superhero movie magic at its best.....no...really...it was. It starred Michael (Phantom,Some Mothers) Crawford as Woody, a comic book artist who turned into his creation (Conderman) in order to rescue the beautiful (when your 10) Barbara Carrera from the clutches of the evil Hannibal (played in ultimate OTT mode by Oliver Reed... What i find more upsetting is that this masterpiece isn't available for us in the UK (Video or DVD). So,why,with the current trend for making Comic Book movies at a high,does nobody take a chance and offer this classic a remake!! Think about it..its got to be better than Daredevil,The Punisher, Batman and Robin and as for Catwoman,don't get me started!!. Question is,who could replace the Wonderful Crawford,Reed,Carrera?? Well the part of Natalia (Carrera) could go to somebody like,umm,lets say Hilary Swank.........Hannibal (Reed),needs to be one mean SOB,so how about Vernon Wells (Bennett in Commando, bad guy,bad string vest,back moustache,perfick!) and last but by no means least the part of Woody Wilkins.....well Vin Diesel needs a Hit!!!! But i feel the acting part of the role may be too much for him, so lets get Jeremy Irons on board!!! COME ON Hollywood GET WITH IT!!!!!!

This film reminds me of the first 'flick' our entire family went to see. Oh and the last. Condorman will only be a good film for those who remember times gone by. This is a very watchable family film but don't expect major laughs, especially with Michael Crawford's (Ooooh Betty) poor American accent. This was Disneys alternative to Superman with a splash of James Bond, and quite simply it was anything but. Please watch it so you can see how much storyboards, acting and special effects have progressed. If you like Porsche's chasing a gypsy waggon, then this is for you. If you are going to analyse this film for its kit-ch humour, and the directors/studio's desperation to get a film out for Summer, don't bother, however it is a way of introducing a spy film to your 3 year old.